Freedom's Price
by Sky-Byte-Haiku
Summary: "Have you looked out there?" Thundercracker pointed violently toward the window. "That's our home burning out there! Cybertron is in flames, and it's because of us!" Thundercracker contemplates the impact of Decepticon tactics. Skywarp reassures him. Could be interpreted as slash or friendship, but more about TC's internal conflict than anything. Pre-Earth, no specific continuity.


Just a quick drabble about TC & Skywarp. This one's a bit older, but not too hideous to show.

**Warnings:** Could be interpreted as slash or friendship.

**Freedom's Price**

Thundercracker gazed out across the devastation. The fires of the city's destruction glowed up from its very core, bursting from its depths as if the flames were the energy of Primus himself reaching through the planet to devour the city from beneath. Thundercracker rested his head gently against the grime-encrusted window. Beyond his small room he could hear his comrades celebrating, their harsh laughter drowning out the screams of the city. He wished they would stop.

"TC!" The door to his room was thrust open and Skywarp burst in, the door slamming loudly behind him. Thundercracker turned but made no move to greet his partner as Skywarp stumbled toward him, a drunken grin on his face.

"There you are!" Skywarp grabbed Thundercracker by the shoulders, steadying himself. Even with the support he wobbled slightly."You're missing the party!" Though they were only a few kliks apart Skywarp found it necessary to shout the words.

"How much have you had?" Thundercracker turned his face away in disgust. It was the same every time they won a victory, whether major or small it made no difference: if there was high-grade to be had and a group of soldiers ready to celebrate Skywarp was always there, overcharging past the point of purging. It was a character flaw Thundercracker found harder and harder to tolerate.

"If you hadn't been hidin' in here..." Skywarp paused to steady himself, "you'd know!" He laughed hysterically as if he'd said something particularly cleaver. Thundercracker tried to shrug out of his grip, but Skywarp was putting too much weight on him.

"What is wrong with you?" Thundercracker snapped, grabbing Skywarp's hands and yanking them away. Skywarp reeled for a few kliks, finally catching his balance on a stack of crates.

"Have you looked out there?" Thundercracker pointed violently toward the window. "That's our home burning out there! Cybertron is in flames, and it's because of us!"

Losing control, he grabbed the still-recovering Skywarp and dragged him over to the window. Skywarp was lucid enough to try and free himself, but too overcharged to be effective. He fumbled briefly at Thundercracker's hands before giving up.

"This isn't a game!" He shook Skywarp, who seemed to be sobering slightly. "It's not an excuse to party and overcharge every night!"

"That's Altihex out there, Skywarp! It's burning! People are dying. The universities, the museums - it's all gone!"

Skywarp stared blankly out the window, the fires reflecting in his too-bright optics. Thundercracker searched his face for any reaction to the sight, but there was nothing. He shoved Skywarp away and for a moment considered punching the wall, but instead he propped his arms against it and tried to calm himself. He just needed some peace and quiet, some time by himself to think.

"You know what I see when I look out there?" Skywarp said, his voice suddenly low and calm. Thundercracker didn't move but his attention returned to his teammate.

"I see people burning, all right. The slag that sat in their towers while we tore each other apart in pits just for a chance to survive. I won't waste my sympathy on them." Skywarp pulled himself to his feet, still unsteady but better than before. "They deserve this-no, they deserve worse. They're getting off easy." He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then carefully he approached Thundercracker.

"This isn't our home," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "It never was." Skywarp's words were filled with a familiar bitterness that echoed in Thundercracker's own spark. Yet he couldn't so easily justify their actions. It wasn't just the high caste that had died at their hands: their tactics killed others like them: potential allies who would now never have the chance to see a better Cybertron.

"Primus," Skywarp muttered, correctly interpreting Thundercracker's silence. "Don't you ever stop beating yourself up?" Skywarp grabbed Thundercracker and pulled him into a rough embrace. It was a brief show of affection, quickly ended as he held Thundercracker back at arm's length.

"If you wanna sit around and debate morals in your head go on. But the fact is, this is the only option. You know as well as anyone that Megatron wouldn't have said no to a peaceful solution, but there isn't one. We have to do this-not just for us, for Cybetron's future, and for Primus." There was passion in Skywarp's words, a powerful belief that tugged at Thundercracker's sense of duty. He suddenly felt foolish.

"Sorry," Thundercracker muttered, looking away. Skywarp remained silent.

"I just... I wonder if there isn't another way. If it really has to come to this." Thundercracker glanced toward the window where the fires outside still raged.

"It does. No one's going to give us freedom, TC. We have to _take it."_ Thundercracker inhaled deeply, reassured by Skywarp's conviction. He was right, this was the way it had to be. This was the price for a better future.

"Come on, I think you need a drink." Skywarp tried to lead him to the door, but Thundercracker shook his head.

"No, I think I'll stay here for a while," he said, and his gaze returned absently to the window. "I need some time to think."

Skywarp nodded and left him to the silence of his thoughts.


End file.
